Carpool Program

Traveling with other riders to the same area lets you save time, save money on commuting costs, meet new people, enjoy some company on your commute, and helps cut congestion. For a limited time, Metro is partnering with ride-matching companies to offer discounted trips for riders and bonuses for drivers!

Metro's carpooling program

Carpooling can help commuters save money and time while reducing the number of cars on congested roadways. Metro's long-range plan, METRO CONNECTS, recognizes the importance of shared mobility options such as carpooling to improve the efficiency of the transportation system. The plan envisions a future where on-demand carpooling programs are an important part of Metro's suite of transportation services, and calls for Metro to develop both carpooling options and partnerships with private companies to supplement transit service in King County.

Find your match

Metro is partnering with private ride-matching companies, bringing you incentives and helping you find your best carpool options. The first step for riders is to choose an app and find a match. Here’s a list of carpool apps and websites.

Scoop

A mobile app that finds you the most efficient carpool match, lets you schedule individual trips for maximum flexibility, and facilitates payments from riders to drivers.

Scheduling trips: Separate scheduling for morning and evening trips. Schedule your morning trip by 9:00pm the night before. Evening trips can be scheduled until 3:00pm on the same day. You'll be notified of a match a few minutes after each matching period.

Cost for riders: Variable, viewable before booking

Driver reimbursement: Variable, viewable before booking

Incentives: For a limited time only, Metro will provide discounts for riders and higher reimbursements for drivers. The application of incentives may vary based on your employer’s partnership with Scoop.

Choice of carpool partner: Scoop's algorithm automatically matches you with another carpooler based on the most efficient trip.

Carpool permit parking at park & rides

It can be a challenge to find a spot at popular park & rides. To make your commute easier, Metro has set aside priority spaces for travelers who carpool to park & rides. Spaces are reserved for permit holders arriving before 8:30 a.m. on weekdays at select park & rides around the county.

Accessible commuter vans are available to groups upon request; WA Relay users, please dial 711 to get in touch with rideshare staff (available 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday); RideshareOnline.com translation service available to ESL customers via a conference by calling 206-625-4500 (available 8 AM to 5 AM, Monday through Friday).

Rideshare contact list

Quick links

Customer support

We appreciate your participation in our commuter van program! Please call us if you need assistance—our phones are staffed Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. For emergencies after hours, weekends or holidays, your call will be patched into our answering service.

Commuter Van Orientation

New drivers and bookkeepers in the King County Commuter Van Program are required to take online training and receive a completion letter to become approved drivers or bookkeepers in our program. To take this orientation, you must be authorized and have been contacted by a Rideshare Operations representative.

Are you authorized and ready to complete your commuter van orientation?

Call King County Metro Transit at 206-625-4500 and report the accident immediately.

Exchange information with the other driver(s):

Complete the back section of the Vanpool Accident packet envelope

Obtain names, addresses and phone numbers

Driver license numbers

Vehicle license numbers

Insurance information—You are insured through the King County Metro Transit Division (206-625-4500)

If police are on the scene, obtain officer's name, badge number and jurisdiction.

Ask all witnesses to complete the "Witness Courtesy Cards" in the accident packet and put them in the mail.

Complete a Traffic Collision Report (inside accident packet) in the glove compartment for all accidents. Within 48 hours,email the report, fax to 206-684-2166 or send by regular mail using the postage paid envelope provided in the packet.

If you have a breakdown:

This information is for King County Metro VanPool drivers and their use.

Protect the scene where your van is disabled and call a Vanpool Service Representative; during regular business hours (8:00am-5:00pm), after hours call 206-625-4500 or 1-800-427-8249; the on-call staff member will be paged. You may call collect, but you must identify yourself as a vanpool driver for the call to be accepted. If you are calling from a telephone that does not accept return calls, please ask the answering service to patch you through to the on-call staff member. Be sure to have the following:

If your van requires towing

Leave the van in a secured area, lock it, tell Metro and the towing company where you will leave the keys. Do not take the keys with you. Metro will have the van towed to the nearest dealership, assigned garage or Metro facility.